Abodh Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 13: While lust for power has turned state BJP dumb to the blatant discrimination against the minorities in J&K, its spokesman has exposed hypocrisy of his own party by raising question mark on his party's complete surrender to its coalition partner over the issue of setting up a Minority Commission in J&K to deliver justice to the religious minorities here.
It is astounding that a party that has raised its entire polity on the citadel of alleged discrimination with minorities for decades suddenly turned blind to the continuous and unrelenting discrimination against religious minorities and even opposed setting up of state minority commission to stay in power.
In a veiled attack against his own party, BJP spokesman Prof. Varinder Gupta while reacting to an affidavit filed by the state government in the Supreme Court ruling out a minority commission in Jammu and Kashmir, state BJP spokesperson Prof Virender Gupta said, "The Kashmiri leaders...

Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 13: The BJP is in a fix. It doesn't know how to assuage the hurt feelings of the minority Hindus and Sikhs in Jammu & Kashmir whose hope the PDP-BJP Government dashed to the ground by opposing minority rights to them in the Supreme Court on December 11. To mislead and hoodwink the outraged and angry minorities, the BJP is speaking two languages.
On the One hand, BJP, Prof Virendra Gupta, has trained guns at the PDP-BJP Government and accused it of "cheating the nation" and "looting the money" meant for Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist minorities. On the other hand, a BJP Minister is claiming that the Law Minister didn't take the BJP into confidence and took the anti-...

Early Times Report
RAJOURI, Dec 13: Educational activities at various government-run schools falling under Lower Hathal area of Sunderbani here are badly affected as the Rehbar -e- Taleem teachers are not working at their designated place of postings.
Official sources said in brazen violation of norms, atleast five to six ReTs posted at various schools in the area have been attached at "favorable places of posting elsewhere."
"ReTs cannot be placed under attachment or be transferred but here schools suffer because such teachers have been posted at their choice postings in brazen violation of norms," the sources said.
Locals said the educational activities at schools are badly affecte...

Udhampur, Dec 13: In a bizarre incident an employee of Health department cut his birthday cake on the hospital bed at district hospital Udhampur. Birthday celebration is not a crime but cutting a cake on the bed meant for patients is a glaring instance of government property being misused....

Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 13: Funds to the tune of whopping Rs 2,000 cr are likely to get lapsed under various centrally sponsored schemes in the current fiscal in Rural Development Department in view of non-conduct of Panchayat elections and poor utilization of funds.
Early Times has learnt from reliable sources that Government of India recently wrote a letter to the JK Government that Rs 2,000 crore would be lapsed in the current fiscal due to poor utilization of funds and non-holding of Panchayat polls.
"The JK Government received the centre's letter recently," an official of the Rural Development Department said. "These funds are part of various centrally spons...

Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 13: Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) has suffered major setback during the tenure of incumbent Vice Chancellor, Prof R D Sharma, as examination wing of varsity was slapped fine of Rs 23 lac for delay in submission of R/R of undergraduate courses.
Highly placed sources in University informed Early Times that first time in history of DDE a huge fine for mismanagement was imposed by the examination wing.
"Kindly refer to your letter No DDE/Adm/17/2458 dated 10/11/2017, regarding submission of R/R of undergraduate 1st and 3rd semester for the session 2017-18. In this connection, it is to intimate that you have submitted the late R/R without depositing lat...

Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 13: A leader of Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit landed in trouble after a photograph depicting him with an AK-47 Rifle went viral on social media, following which the party distanced itself from him.
"He is not an active member of the party," state BJP unit president said. Ashish Sareen on Tuesday shared a photograph on his Facebook account posing with an AK-47 rifle, which drew brickbats from netizens, while some demanded strong action against him.
The photo was lat...

Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 13: Banihal Congress leader Salman Nizami has embarrassed Congress high command - Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and that too before the second phase of election in Gujarat on Thursday. Reports emanating from Delhi suggest that Nizami was one of the main architects of the JNU "Bharat Tere Tukde Honge" episode
According to a report based on Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials, "Salman Nizami actively participated in igniting the Kashmir students studying in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and was behind funding and harboring them".
Nizami, who had addressed the JNU students, also had close links with Congress top leader Digvijay Singh whose own murky ro...

Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 13: The lackadaisical attitude of the Power Development Department to take prompt action to recover penalty from the suppliers for short supply of materials can be gauged from the fact that the department could realize a fine of mere Rs. 35000/- against an amount of Rs 32 lakh fine that was imposed.
Sources told Early Times that Office of Chief Engineer Procurement and Material Management had cancelled supply order of material of Aluminum Conductor Steel-Reinforced cable (ACSR) Conductors and Steel Tubular Poles valuing Rs 6 Crore during 2010-2014 for short supply of material. "Out of recoverable amount of Rs 32 lakhs from the suppliers as penalty imposed for...

Was it a training programme or observance of 'Intl Anti Corruption Day'

12/13/2017 11:26:54 PM

Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 13: On December 9, 2017 Directorate of Agriculture Kashmir organized a training programme on implementation of Public Finance Management System (PFMS) and Centralized Personal Information System (CPIS) at its office in Srinagar.
As the day is marked as International Anti Corruption day , the Director in order to give wide publicity to this programme issued a press release titled: "Agriculture Department observes International Anti-Corruption Day" .
Details available with Early Times reveal that Directorate of Agriculture, Kashmir had organized some training programme on Dec 9th for its officers particularly the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) , ...

‘Govt has money to rehabilitate stone pelters, not to run universities’

12/13/2017 11:25:44 PM

Asif Iqbal Naik
Kishtwar, Dec 13: Kishtwar University students who are on indefinite hunger strike at new DC office complex here faced a tough time on Wednesday as two of their colleagues were shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar after their condition deteriorated.
Students are on a hunger strike demanding immediate revocation of enhanced course fee, which was increased in midsession.
As per the details available with “Early Times”, team of Kishtwar police along with the officials of the health department today shifted Anoop Singh of Assar Doda and Vishal Sharma of Kathua, both students of 3rd Semester in Geology Department to District Hospital Kishtwar after both fell unconscious...

Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 13: In a dramatic development, Junaid Mattoo, the spokesman of the opposition National Conference has endorsed the proposal of the Peoples Democratic Party led government on the reopening of cinema halls in restive Kashmir.
While the PDP has long been in favor of reopening of cinema halls in the valley, the National Conference has seconded the plans.
The development came to fore when Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted to hail opening of cinema halls in the Sa...

Early Times Report
Anantnag, Dec 13: Ahead of Anantnag Chaloo, separatist group led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday received a major setback as one its top leader from South Kashmir's Anantnag district has resigned.
Sabzar Ahmad Dar, District President of Jammu Kashmir Muslim League for Anantnag district, announced his resignation through a Srinagar based newspaper.
Jammu Kashmir Muslim League led by Masrat Aalam is a constituent of Syed Ali Shah Geelani's Hurriyat Conference.
"From...

Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 13: The coordination committee of the BJP and PDP would be meeting shortly to work out the modalities on the regularisation of the 60,000 daily wagers. The decision in this regard was announced by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehboooba Mufti on twitter on Wednesday.
According to the sources the BJP has called for the meeting after the decision was taken to ensure that there is equitable distribution in the regularisation process.
The sources said that BJP has communicated its desire for the same to the Chief Minister who then decided to call a meeting of the coordination committee.
"We want to discuss the process and how the daily wagers from all ...

MS Nazki
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 13: Facing the music at the hands of Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department two non-performing officials have been ordered to be attached with the office of Chief Engineer PHE Jammu, an official communiqué said here today.
Executive Engineer PHE Poonch Abdul Qayoom and Assistant Executive Engineer Sub Division Mendhar Muneer Ahmed have been attached for not 'performing well' at their respective place of postings due to which an order of attachment has been issued by the higher ups of the department.
Abdul Qayoom has stayed for two years as XEN PHE Poonch while as Muneer Ahmed was posted seven months ago in Mendhar.
Locals said that both the of...

Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 13: After facing flak from different sections of society for allowing government teachers to carry out coaching at private coaching centres in the state, the state government was today forced to issue a clarification in this regard.
However, after analyzing the clarification it has come to the fore that government teachers can teach in private coaching centres even though for the same they have to seek proper permission from the concerned quarters. The move seems to be a calculated one and it has been done to 'legalize' the private coaching of government teachers.
In a press statement issued today, an education department spokesman...

Mohammad Sarfaraz
Early Times Report
BANDIPORA (Gurez), Dec 13: Though the government has given a reservation to the category people, but the fact is that many doctors who were selected on category certificates have either served for one year or never served in Gurez and they are enjoying the plum posting in Srinagar and other districts of Kashmir.
Sources in the health department said, "There are so many doctors who are selected on category certificates but at present they are living in Srinagar or out of the city."
There are scores of doctors who were selected on category certificates but they served for a year or so including, Dr Rifat PG surgery is ironically doing registrarship a...

Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 13: With government going to make the security forces better equipped, the Jammu and Kashmir has suffered highest injuries in the country while dealing with law and order.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police have to remain on tenterhooks even during the peace times due to situation in the valley.
As per the official figures, 4713 policemen were injured in 2016 in the country. Of these, 4,502 policemen were injured in J&K alone while dealing with law and order problem. This means, JK police has suffered over 90 percent injuries among all forces in the country while dealing with law and order.
Most of them got injured when Kashmir Valley witnessed six-month unre...

Early Times Report
RAJOURI, Dec 13: Large number of schools located in the remote areas of Rajouri and Reasi districts have no road connectivity and students including girls and tiny tots have to cover distances between 4-8 kilometres to reach the nearest school.
As per Education Department most of the schools situated in Khawas Education Zone falls under summer zone and observing summer holidays.
This is despite the fact that the inhabitants of the area claim that many areas including Narla, Kotchalwal, Bambal, Sanglote, Lambi Bari Panglar, Upeer Rioti, Badhal Gali, Udhan, Bhella etc experience moderate to heavy snowfall during the winter season .
H S Jamwal a local resident said th...

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